HC Deb 20 December 1945 vol 417 cc1517-8
24. Lieut-Colonel

Sir Ian Fraser asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he will arrange for an experiment in one automatic exchange area whereby a red light shows on the telephone instrument of each subscriber to indicate to him that a second caller is on the line waiting for him.

Mr. Burke

The suggested experiment would involve extensive engineering research and the complete redesign of major portions of the apparatus both at the exchange and at the subscribers' premises. It would not be possible to undertake this work at the present time.

Sir I. Fraser

Would it not save an enormous amount of the time of everybody concerned and, therefore, be an efficiency?

Mr. Burke

The arrangement is complicated and I imagine would have very great fault liability.